The Arkansaw traveler., 1887-07-23

Ill the mluuie OI tnc htXnt, to au abominable Chinese den at the East End of London. But now he put a climax to his wickedness hy asking me to watch over him, as if were a guardian angel. never felt less like a guardian angel in my lite. l was about to indignantly refuse-
 'l sent away the cab,' said Campbell coolly.
 Horror, we were then to stop here till morning for there was certainly no getting away from the place ex- cept in the cab. had recently seen the "Romany Rye" and the awful horrors of the East End of London at midnight were fresh in my mind. Who knows but what had been de- coyed by Campbell? He might be my illegitimate brother, who had brought me here to murder me, and l was an unarnied man. The remembrance of Mir. Wilson Barmtt's frantic strug- gles flashed through me. Alas, l had seen for myself that the very horrible persons on the Princess stage were no exaggeration. l was evidently in 1 !or n, bat determined that nothing should decoy me into those dreadful streets, of which, from our cab win dow, had already seen more than enough.
 But Campbell proceeded to reassure me. My dear fellow" he said, "you seem uncomfortable, but there is noth- ing to be alarmed about; all want you to do is to look after me professionally. am about to make an experiment, by trying for myself what the much vaunteti delights of opium smoking really are. These poor fellows" he said, with sympathizing glance at the disgusting eorpse-like objects who lay around in every direc- tion, "always tell me that if only tried it once should do as they do. l feel that could speak to them with more authority if I had really made the experiment, and now Is my opportunity. shall ask our host to supply me with pipe of his best opium"
 He turned to diabolical looking old Chinaman who sat erouching on the floor, warming his attenuated fingers over all earthen pot filled with live charcoal, and addressed him in his native language. did not under stand what they said; they smiled. grinned, and gcsticulatcd, and saw that it was no use to argue with Campbell. He deliberately took off his coat and collar. and undid the top button of his shirt: then he calmly proec, ded to lie down by the side of one of the revolting objects on the great wooden bcdstead. which formed the only furniture in the sordid room.
 The Chinaman produced from his breast rather more elaborate pipe than those l had yet seen. It was about six inches long; the bowl was formed of a tiny saucer of silver, the size of q shilling. From d small met al box the old man proceeded to charge it with opium; he then lighted it, drew it into action with his own disgusting mouth, and with low obcisance, handed it to Campbell, who proceeded at once to inhalc the abom- nation.
 In few minutes he dropped off, and the same idiotic appearance which was conspicuous on the faces of the other sleepers was visible on my friends face. He snored heavily. Sev- eral times placed my hand upon his pulse, but there was nothing to alarm me; he simply slept the heavy sleep which is always produced by heavy dose of the drug.
 There l sat till day broke watching the man. One by one the various sleepcrs awakened. shook themselves together, and without noticing me staggered out of the room. At eight o'clock Campbell came to life again He was like a half-drunkcn man, but in little time he pulled himself to- gether, and then he sent the Chinaman for cab. The man was long while gone, for there are not many cabs, I fancy, to be found at early morning in that part of London.
 'I can quite understand their infat- uation," he said to me with sigh of regret. "I have been in the seventh heaven," he continued, as he rubbed his eyes. "It was glorious"
 Now comes the painful part of my story. From that moment Campbell became confirmed opium smoker He used to worry me by the hour with the description of his horrible pleasures. Day by day Campbell got thinner and thinner, yellower, and more haggard-looking. Wugsby, who had long ago ehristened him the "Heathen Chinee," declared that his eyes turned up At the oorners, and that he was growing a pigtail. That was ridiculous exaggefation, of course; but day by day Campbell dii certainly grow more and more like 4 disreputable ChiIaman, he became | ..a ,-r.laSG ..t.nnt l.: a,,....a .a, a.L